Silent Allure

chapter 11

Vegas reached Pete’s shop, his heart racing with anxiety. He had arranged everything for Pete to leave the country, but he was at a loss for how to explain it. "I’m in the mafia, and I made my father angry. Now I can die, and so can you, so you should leave?" No, that wouldn't work. He didn't want to burden Pete with the truth about his life in the mafia.

Taking a deep breath, Vegas stepped inside and found Pete crouched on the floor, looking utterly devastated. "Pete, are you okay?" Vegas asked, rushing over and kneeling next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. But Pete pushed him away, his actions clearly saying, "Don't touch me."

Vegas was confused and worried. "What happened, Pete? Why are you doing this?" Before he could continue, Pete used sign language to convey his pain and betrayal. "Was it fun making fun of me, Vegas? Now you can have the last laugh. You finally made a fool out of someone. I was a dumb idiot. You can laugh at me now."

Vegas's heart sank. He realized that Pete had somehow found out the truth, or at least part of it. He had to act quickly, but carefully. "Pete, please," Vegas signed back, his hands shaking slightly. "I never meant to hurt you. I love you more than anything. There are things about my life I wanted to protect you from. I need you to trust me right now."

He paused, searching for the right words. "I have made arrangements for you to leave the country. It's not safe here, not for you. Please, come with me. I'll explain everything, but we have to go now. I promise, I'm not making fun of you. I'm trying to save you."

Vegas reached out again, hoping Pete would understand the urgency in his eyes and the desperation in his plea.

But Pete pushed Vegas's hand away again, his movements sharp and decisive. Using sign language, he communicated his feelings, his face contorted with pain and anger. "I am not going anywhere with you. I'm done with you. I don't want to be with a man who lies about everything to me. Who knows if you're lying about my safety too? Now that I know who you really are, are you trying to scare me? How low will you go, Vegas?"

Vegas's heart broke at Pete's words. "No, Pete, it's not like that," he signed back, desperation clear in his eyes. "You're misunderstanding me. I'm not lying. Please, let's leave here. After that, I will disappear from your life. I promise I won't bother you anymore, but please, you need to leave this place."

His eyes were pleading, ready to beg if necessary. He could see Pete's pain and distrust, and it tore him apart. But he knew he had to protect Pete, even if it meant losing him forever. "I love you, Pete," he signed one last time, hoping against hope that Pete would see the truth in his eyes and understand the depth of his feelings and the gravity of the situation.

Pete closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before responding. Using sign language, he conveyed his feelings, "I will not leave. I will be safer if you go and marry that girl. The whole world probably knows about the Theerapanyakul son getting married soon. Focus on that and leave me alone. I will be better without you. Have a safe and happy life."

Vegas's frustration bubbled over. "Pete, what the hell are you saying?" he signed back, his movements sharp and urgent. "I can't marry anyone else. I only love you, and you only."

But Pete's next words hit him like a punch to the gut. "But I don't," Pete signed, his face resolute. "I don't love a monster."

Vegas felt as if the air had been sucked out of his lungs. Without hearing a single word, the pain was more profound than anything he had ever felt. Pete calling him a monster was a wound deeper than any physical injury, and it left him reeling.

Desperate, Vegas tried one last time, his hands trembling. "Pete, please. I'm not a monster. I love you. I'm trying to protect you. You mean everything to me. Don't do this."